


Canvas

by VoidDragonQueen



Series: Stealing the Thief [7]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Alternate Universe of an Alternate Universe, Instagram au i guess??, M/M, Nudity, Vague References to Past Abuse, but i was thinking of those posts where you paint on your so and this happened, i dont know much of anything about instagram, the nudity is artistic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 10:58:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16061699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidDragonQueen/pseuds/VoidDragonQueen
Summary: Yusuke is excited that Akechi has a day off, inviting him over to help in his next art project. Akechi is more than happy to help if it means spending time with his boyfriend.





	Canvas

Akechi, even in his now usual messy ponytail and faded t-shirt and jeans, is a welcome sight at his apartment door, Yusuke sweeping aside to let his boyfriend in. Akechi takes in the little place, messy, art supplies everywhere but organized and clean. He adjusts the little black backpack on his shoulder, strap pulled closer to his neck.

“Anywhere I can put my bag?” 

“The same room we’re going to be should be fine.”

Yusuke leads him to the bedroom, Akechi letting out a low whistle.

“Ah, your place actually has a bedroom. Almost forgot.”

He places the bag down in an empty corner as Yusuke fetched his brushes and paint. This was a nice change of pace than their usual routine of going out to lunch. Despite his best efforts, the rumors about his love life were getting wilder by the day. Though he supposed that was natural, since he was becoming steadily more famous as an artist now. He re-entered the room, and seeing Akechi's stuffed crow, Joker, dressed up in his thief outfit brought a small smile to his face. Akechi was sitting on the bed, waiting for him.

“Well?” Yusuke teased, tossing his art supplies on the bed.

“Yeah, yeah. So impatient, Mr. Artist.”

Akechi stood up, glancing at him every now and again as he slowly takes off his clothing. It brought a light flush to Yusuke's face as he stripped teasingly. 

“Must you do that every time you get undressed for modeling?”

“I thought you knew by now that I like putting on a show?” He flashed a smile as he talks back.

Akechi lays down on the bed, grabbing a pillow and sliding it under his stomach. Yusuke kneels behind him on the bed, straddling his legs, opening his paints and carefully placing them on his nightstand, palette and brushes to one side. Akechi had agreed to let him paint on his bare back today, having the free time to let Yusuke paint as he pleased. Yusuke gets a little revenge of his own for his boyfriend's little striptease as he runs his hands over Akechi's back to get a feel for his living canvas, hearing his breath hitch under him as he presses a little deeper over the scars.

“May I take a before picture as well?” He asks, leaning forward to Akechi's face.

“Go for it.”

Akechi smiles at him, pushing up to capture his lips briefly before lying back down again. Yusuke takes a picture, carefully setting his phone down so he didn't knock over anything on the nightstand. He set his hands wandering over Akechi's skin again, getting lost in thought. The ring of discolored skin around his left eye was the first thing strangers saw about Akechi nowadays, but it wasn't his most prominent scar- he only told what it really was to Yusuke with the promise of never telling Akira about it. No, the one in the middle of his back, going from between the shoulder blades and down to just above his lower back was the darkest one. The one the twisted, corrupted mimic Akira gave him in the Metaverse, a little over four years ago now. It was hard to believe it was still so dark. Another noticeable scar was wrapped around the top of his right shoulder, jagged and faded pinkish. Akechi told him that one was back when he got Robin Hood. Yusuke knew not to pry into other people's scars. Scars were painful enough already in his experience. He hummed, gathering little sparks of inspiration with his fingertips.

“Give me your arm for a moment.” Yusuke said, starting to mix paint onto his palette.

“Why?”

“So I can see what the paint will look like on your skin.”

Akechi sighs, lifting up his left arm for him to use. As Yusuke shifts to eye the color he's just mixed, he catches the faint flush on Akechi's cheeks. He takes a moment to kiss the back of his hand before continuing. 

“It's a bit cold.” He muttered, shifting slightly as Yusuke pulled back, letting out a satisfied hum.

“You'll get used to it.”

Akechi shivered a little as Yusuke dragged the paintbrush along his back. He shifted his body, much to Yusuke's annoyance.

“Hold still.”

“Mmph, so bossy, Yusuke.”

“You like it.”

“Coming for me today, aren't we?”

“Most canvases are silent while I paint them.”

“Too bad, you get me today.”

Yusuke didn't reply, starting to get in the zone. Akechi was idly scrolling through his phone as he worked. Yusuke would change brushes or mix colors every now and again, pulling up Akechi's wrist to test new swatches. After an hour or so, Akechi crossed his arms in front of him and laid his head on them, peering at Yusuke out of the corner of his eye.

“It sucks I don't get to see until it's done.”

“You offered your back to me.”

“I forgot how much I liked watching you paint.”

Yusuke grinned, taking a moment to press in his side with his brush-free fingers. He heard his breath hitch again, switching to a content hum as he continued the painting.

“No fair.” He mumbled.

Yusuke dabbled color around the edges of the scar on his shoulder, making it almost fade into the rest of the background while making it its own unique detail. He knew Akechi, though it went unspoken, was very self conscious about his scars, and he wanted to highlight the underlying beauty that he saw in them. He knew the pain of such scars firsthand, he mused, lifting his brush and pushing his train of thought away from the time before the Phantom Thieves before it ruined his process. He glanced over to Akechi's face, seeing he had dozed off at some point. He looked so peaceful sleeping. Dip, swirl, new brush, new color, new test swatch. He shifted to almost lying on top of him, testing if the first layer of paint dried with a finger before he started adding the smaller details. He was partway through the blooms on the central tree painting before Akechi stirred again.

“Welcome back to the living.”

“Mmn.” 

He watched as Akechi slowly rolled his neck around, stretching out his fingers and yawning. The silence that fell over them was warm, the swish of Yusuke cleaning his brush between colors the only interference in it.

“Did you forgive him?” Akechi asks after a long stretch of quiet.

Yusuke didn't need him to clarify what he meant. Yusuke knew who he was talking about.

"No. He may have raised and taught me but I was glad he turned himself in. Good riddance.”

“Ah. Good to know...” 

Yusuke paused as Akechi suddenly inhales deeply, letting the air out slowly. He waited for him to calm down again before going back in.

“Something on your mind?”

Akechi grasps the sheets under him in one hand, thinking.

“I never got how all of you could be so forgiving to the ones who hurt you. Especially me.”

There it was. The thought he was wrestling with came to be spoken.

“You could've been us. We could've been you.Besides, you're growing away from that now. You've made strides to be better.”

“Hm.” A pause. “I sometimes feel I am not progressing quick enough.”

“How so?”

“I still struggle with controlling my temper. I don't feel… emotionally connected to everyone as all if you are to each other. I feel stupid and like I'm a failure.” 

Akechi clicked his tongue, shaking his head and put a hand to his chin.

“No, I should take my therapist’s advice and stop saying things like that. I'm not a failure, I'm not stupid, I just keep comparing myself to others and it's just frustrating.”

“You're doing well though. From who you used to be.”

Akechi simply hummed, closing his eyes. It was another hour or so before Yusuke was satisfied, putting the brush down. He took a few pictures, tapping Akechi's outer thigh as he laid down in his stomach to show him. It was a beautiful dreamy, landscape, the scar in between his shoulder blades a gnarled tree and the one on his shoulder a streak of a gorgeous sunset, the whole piece soft and inviting. Akechi lit up, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“It's beautiful. Are you gonna post on your oh-so-neglected account?” 

“Long as you're okay with that. I'll tag you in it as well, if you're fine with that sort of thing on your account.”

“I'm not explicitly naked, so it's still technically family friendly enough for it.” 

Yusuke pressed a kiss to his temple as Akechi intertwined their fingers. They stayed like that for a while before Akechi excused himself to wash off. Yusuke scrolled through Akechi's Instagram for a few moments. It was a account where he acted as Joker, cataloging their days as he saw fit. A lot of it was small things detailing different cafes and other such outings. It was rather adorable. Yusuke backed out and chose the photos to upload, typing out a caption after some thought. 

**kitagawa:** _ I don't often get the chance to use my partner as a canvas to my heart's delight, so I am grateful that  _ **_@jokesnsapph_ ** _ is a very patient man _

The next few days would be filled with buzz on his love life, and possibly endless questions, but Yusuke didn't want to worry about that right at the moment. He padded off to check on his boyfriend to see if he needed help getting the paint off.

**Author's Note:**

> It's a slight au where Yusuke and Akechi date for a time before the end of The Disappearing Detective.


End file.
